Shell-reloading device



Nov. 24, 1936. H. E, NEwcoMB SHELL RELOADING DEVICE Filed NOV. 26, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l 'N0v. 24, 1936. E, NEWCOMB 2,061,977

SHELL RELOADING DEVICE Filed Nov. 26, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lum) 5 am -4 Sheets-Sheet 3 H. E. NEWCOMB SHELL RELOADING DEVICE Filed NOV. 26, 1954 Nov. 24, 1936.

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Nov. 24, 1936. H. E. NEwcoMB SHELL RELOADING DEVICE.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed NOV. 26, 1954 ww MMG llllllllllllllllll 102 ACE. Ne wcazn Patented Nov. 24, 1936 fr STATES PAT 9' F F l CE 7 Claims.

This invention is a machine for reloading shells which have been fired and its primary object is to provide a machine which will be nearly automatic in ejecting the old primer, injecting a new primer, charging the shell with powder, and setting a bullet. The invention provides means whereby shells may be removed singly from a magazine or rack and ied successively to operating stations, and facilitates the operations of resizing and removing the red primer, injecting a new primer and supplying a charge of powder and nally securing a bullet upon the charge of powder and then ejecting the refilled shell. It is an object of the invention to provide a machine for the stated purpose which will be compact, easily operated and efficient in operation, and with these stated objects in view, the invention resides in a certain novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter fully described and then more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, with parts in section, of a machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view with parts in section;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation, partly in section;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on a larger scale taken in a plane longitudinally of the gang of dies;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal section through one of the dies;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of the primer magazine;

Fig. 8 is a detail section on the line 8--8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a section through the powder-charging member;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section through the operating treadle and its connections.

1n carrying out the invention, there is provided a bed plate I which may be supported upon any convenient bench or frame 2 having the requisite strength and rigidity. At and adjacent the front edge of the bed plate, tracks 3 are secured thereon and, as shown in Fig. 3, these tracks are provided with overhanging flanges I along the upper portions of their opposed edges so that they will guide a slide 5 which rests upon the bed plate and is slidable thereon parallel with the front edge of the same. Upon the top of the outer or front track 3, I secure a keeper plate 6, the edge of which projects over the edge of, the slide (Cl. Sti- 23) and thereby serves to prevent shells resting on the slide from slipping laterally therefrom. Cooperating with the keeper plate 6 is an inner or rear keeper plate 'I which is slidably mounted upon the top of the inner track 3 and is held thereon, for limited transverse movement, by screws 8 inserted through slots 9, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. A bowed spring I is secured at its center to the back of the keeper plate I and its ends bear against columns II erected upon the bed plate, as will be understood upon reference to Figs. 2 and 3. The slide 5 is provided at one end with a longitudinal slot or opening I2 and near said slot a rib I3 is provided upon the top of the slide to engage at one end against shells fed onto the slide so that as the slide moves along the bed plate, the shells will be fed to the rst operating station. Dogs I 4 are aso provided upon the slide at stated intervals corresponding to the intervals between the several operating stations so as to successively engage the shells and feed them from station to station as the slide is operated. These dogs each consists of a short lever pivoted at one end within a recess provided therefor in the slide and resting at its free end upon an expansion spring I seated in the slide under the lever. Immediately adjacent one of the dogs I4, an opening I6 is formed in the slide, and in the bed plate is an opening I 'I with which the opening I6 will aline when the slide is in its retracted position of rest. A flap Valve I8 is hinged to the slide at its lower side and normally depends through the opening I'I, as shown in Fig. 1, but when the slide is moved to feed the shells, the valve will be swung upwardly by its engagement with the far side of said opening I'I and will close the opening I6 so that as the slide moves over the upper end of the primer magazine, the primers cannot be ejected into said opening and clog the action of the apparatus. The slide also has an opening I9 therein which normally is alined with the powder-charging mechanism and with the primer injector, as will presently more fully appear, and between the said openings I6 and I9 a recess 20 is formed in the under side of the slide to receive a fresh primer as the slide moves toward the primer injector.

The shells to be loaded are mounted in an inclined rack or chute ZI which is mounted upon the bed plate adjacent one end of the same, and as shown in Figure 1, is constructed with side walls spaced apart a distance to readily admit the shells and having grooves in their lower ends in their opposed sides to engage the flanges of the shells so as to guide them and retain them in Cil proper position. This rack or magazine may be of any desired capacity and its upper end is supported by a prop 22 secured upon and rising from the bed plate, as clearly shown. As seen in Fig. 2, the lower discharging end of the magazine is disposed over the inner or rear edge of the slide so that a shell issuing from the magazine will be received on the slide in upright position. To insure the proper movement of the shells, a weight of any approved design is inserted in the upper end of the magazine or rack after the rack has been filled so that the shells will be caused positively to slide down the rack as each successive shell is removed from the front end thereof. rIhe rib i3 on the slide, when the slide is operated, will extend across the lower end of the rack in/abutting relation to the shell which has been delivered therefrom so that until the slide has co'mpleted its movement, the shells will be held in the rack. When the slide is retracted so that the rib is moved from across the discharge end of the rack, as shown in Fig. 2, the shell issuing from theV rack will be vprevented from moving off the slideby the keeper plate 5 which will arrest the movement ofl the shell as it assumes a position against the end of the rib I3. Pivoted upon the upper end:y of a bracket 23, which is secured to and rises from the bedplate, is an arcuate lever 24 which has its lower end engaged in the openingr I2' in the end of the slide and its upper end disposed in the path of a latch 25 which is pivotally Vmounted within a recessr 26` in the adjacent end of adie block or cross Yhead 2l slidably mounted upon the columns Il.' A retractile spring 23 is attached to the bracket 23 and to the upper end ofthe lever 24, as shown inr Fig. 1, and tends constantly to hold the lever in the position shown by fullA lines .in Figi 1 with the slide re- `to-:its impact upon the end of the lever 2li-but on the return upward movement ofthe die block, the end ofthe latch will engage under the upper end ofthe lever and'will rock'the. lever, yas indi-cated biz-.dottedlines-in1Fig. l, so that the slide 5 will bermo'ved over, the` bedA plate rtofeed a shell one step. As the die blockor cross head reaches the l upper lim'itof its movement; the latch will clear therend of". the lever and the spring 28` willA then return the. lever toits initial position, shown in full linesin' Fig; 1,.and retract the slide to receive anothers shell. f

The rdieblock may be of any desired congurationand. it is provided at its ends with sleeves 325. which 1'1t` slidably upon the columns Il? and thereby hold the die blockto a rectilinear path inl its'movements. Securely fastened' to the die block between vthe ends thereof is an operating post orlrod 33' which extends through the bed plate and has its lower extremity reduced, as shown at34' in Fig; 10, and slidably tted through ai 'cylinder' 35 which is` secured upon a` pedestal 36=rm1ysecured upon the floor of the workroom.

Atreadle'3'l is secured to the lower end of the rod below the'cylinder and an expansion spring 38 is housedlin thecylinder around the rod and bears atk one end against a washer 39 inthe lower end of thecylinder and. at. the opposite .endupon a collar or other abutment i5 xed upon the rod, the spring serving, as will be readily understood, to yieldably hold the rod and the die block in the uppermost position. The upward movement of the rod is limited by the treadle 3l impinging against the lower end of the cylinder 35, and to hold the rod and the parts connected therewith in the lowered position, as may be desired, I provide a trip lever ll which is mounted upon the floor of the workroom and has one end 52 adapted to engage over the treadle 3l and its opposite end yieldably held raised by a spring 43, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 10. When the rod has been lowered by pressure of the operators foot upon the treadle 3l, the treadle f automatically rides into engagement with the trip lever li and when the parts are to be returned to their upper positions, the operator presses upon the end of the trip lever so as to release its holding end from the treadle whereupon the spring 38 at once expands and raises the rod and the die block.

Mounted in the die block are dies or operating instrumentalities which act upon the shell to eject the fired primer, inject a new primer and load the shell with a charge of powder, and then secure a bullet in the charged shell, these operations'being performed by the respective dies simultaneously after the machine is in full operating condition. rihe first die comprises an adapter sleeve .15 which is threaded into an opening provided therefor in one end of the die block and has a hard steel bushing 45 secured in its lower end. The bore of this adapter sleeve 45 is internally threaded and receives a plunger having a threaded upper end portion 45 and an intermediate smooth portion il with a beveled shoulder i8 at the lower end of said intermediate smooth portion. There is also a second smooth portion it below the beveled shoulder, the lower end of which is reduced and externally threaded, as shown at 5i). The extremity of the plunger provides a concave seat or the head 5l of an ejector pin 52 which is supported by a cup or thimble 55 threaded onto the extremity 55 of the plunger. A shell, indicated at 541, is brought into position under the plunger and when the die block is lowered, as has been described, the bushing i5 will be forced down over the shell so as to resize the same while the ejector pin 52 will force the fired primer from the shell, and said primer will drop through the openings I6 in the slide and il in the bed plate into any receptacle. Simultaneously with the ejectment of the fired primer, the beveled shoulder 18 on the plunger will enter the open upper end of the shell and spread the same, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The plunger can obviously be adjusted axially to obtain the desired results with certainty, and a lock nut 55 is fitted upon the plunger and turned home against the head of the adapter sleeve 44 so as to hold the adjustment.

A primer magazine 56 is secured to and depends from the bed plate at a point beyond the opening l'.' and the primers 5l are stacked within this magazine which consists of a tube of proper diameter having its lower end closed by a cap 58 of suitable design. The magazine is provided with diametrically opposite slots 59, at the lower ends of which are .lateral notches 6E), as clearly shown in Fig. 7, and a follower 6l is disposed within the tube and has guiding fingers 62 projecting therefrom to pass through the respective slots 5S and thereby guide the follower in its movements. rThe primers rest upon the follower,

and an expansion spring 63 housed in the maga- Zine below the follower and bearing against the same tends constantly to move the follower and the primers upwardly. The slide 5, of course, extends across the upper end of the magazine and prevents the primers being ejected except when the recess 2D in the underside of the slide registers with the bore of the magazine whereupon the uppermost primerv will be ejected into said recess and will be carried over the bed plate with the slide in the further movement of the latter, it being understood, of course, that the recess is of such dimensions that it will admit just one primer.

As the slide continues its movement, the primer in the recess 2) will eventually be brought over Y an opening E4 in the4 bed plate andV will drop in Fig. l.

into said opening, and upon the reverse movement of the slide the opening IB therein will be brought into position over this primer, as shown When the primer drops into the opening 64, it will rest upon the injector pin 65 which is slidably tted through a plug 66 closing the lower end of a casing 61 secured to and depending from the bed plate. The injector pin is provided with an annular flange or shoulder 68 within the casing 61 and a spring 69, housed in the casing and bearing upon said flange or shoulder, yieldably holds the pin in its lowered position. At its lower end, a head 'III is formed on the pin and this head rests upon the rocker head or terminal TI of a lever I2 which is fulcrumed between its ends in the forked lower end 13 of a bracket 'I4 which is secured to and depends from the bed plate, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The rear end of the lever 'I2 is formed into an enlarged head 'l5 upon which rests the lower end of a dog 16, pivoted at its upper end in a recess Tl in the side of the operating rod 33 and having its lower end projected from the recess by a spring 'I8 seated in the inner wall o-f the recess and bearing upon the dog, as shown clearly in Fig. 5. As shown in said Fig. 5, the upper edge of the dog is given a projecting convex surface adapted to ride against an arm 'I9 of the bracket lll so that upon the initial downward movement of the rod 33 and the die block, the head 'l5 will be pressed downwardly and the lever 'I2 rocked so that the` injector pin 65 will be forced upward against the tension of the spring 69 and the primer resting on the injector pin will be inserted in the shell resting on the slide over the opening I9. As the downward movement of the rod 33 continues, the projecting surface of the dog will be brought against the arm I9 and the dog will be thereby swung inward against the tension of the spring 18 so that it will be released from the head 'l5 and the lever 'I2 and injector pin may return to their normal positions. It may be noted at this point also that the arm 'I9 prevents the latch I6 from being swung out of the recess Il to such an extent as to be inoperative.

As the injector pin retires from the shell in which it has just inserted a primer, a second adapter sleeve 8l will be brought down over the shell and the bore of this adapter sleeve will t closely around the ilared upper end of the shell so that the powder charge which is delivered thereinto will not escape over the sides of the shell. It will be noted that the adapter sleeve 3l has a bore 82 in its upper portion which is of the same, or slightly less, diameter than the diameter of the shell and a charge-forming and feeding disc 83 is rotatably mounted in the upper portion of the adapter sleeve, the upper extremity of the bore of the sleeve being ared, as shown at 84, so that the powder will be directed into the central bore of the adapter and thence into a diametrical passage 85 formed in the disc 83. As shown most clearly in Fig. 9, the adapter sleeve is formed with a circular enlargement within which the disc 83 is rotatably mounted and in one end of the passage or opening 85 is threaded a plug 8S so that the charge of powder may be accurately measured and a uniform charge will be fed to the successive shells. By properly adjusting the plug 88 in or out in the passage 85, the extent or length of said passage which may receive the powder will, of course, be varied. The disc 83 is secured in position by a screw 8l secured axially in one end or Yside of the disc and rotatably engaged in a side plate 88 secured to the adapter sleeve. t the opposite side, the disc is formed with a stud or shaft 89 and a second side plate Q0 having a hub member 9i is tted over said stud or shaft to close the side of the adapter sleeve opposite the plate 88. At the end of the hub member SI a roller or disc 92 is keyed to the shaft or stud 39 and a lock nut 93 is mounted on the shaft at the outer side of the disc or roller to prevent undesired movement of the disc along the shaft. This disc is formed with a peripherial groove in which is seated the coil of a spring 94 which extends upwardly and rearwardly from the disc and has its upper terminal bowed, as shown at S5, and secured to the brace or cross bar 96 which is secured upon the upper ends of the columns I I to impart rigidity to the structure. When the die block 27 is moved downwardly, the sleeve 8l and the parts carried thereby will, of course, move downwardly with it and the spring 94 will be unwound and in unwinding will rotate the disc 92 so that the powder receiving rotor 33 will be rotated through 180 and the charge of powder will be delivered through the bore 82 into the shell 8d, and upon the return movement, the spring will rewind and return the powder holder to normal position. The supply of powder is contained in a transparent magazine 91 which is seated in an annular groove provided therefor in a flange 98 on the upper end of the adapter sleeve 8l.

Beyond the adapter sleeve 8! and adjacent the end of the die block 2l, a third adapter sleeve 99 is secured in an opening provided therefor in the die block and a lock nut Ill is mounted upon this adapter sleeve and turned home against the die block to hold the sleeve in place after it has once been adjusted. Similar lock nuts IBI are mounted upon the adapter sleeves M and BI, as shown in the drawings. The adapter sleeve 99 will ride down over the shell 02 which has received a primer and a charge of powder as the die block is lowered, and in the lower end of this adapter sleeve are radial sockets receiving ball detents ID3 which are held against outward movement by a split spring ring 94 tted in an annular groove E65 in the outer circumference of the sleeve. Within the upper end portion of the bore of the adapter sleeve 99 is threaded a second sleeve I, the bore of which is somewhat enlarged at its lower end, and received in the bore of this sleeve is an anvil Il having a concave seat in its lower end to engage the nose of a bullet |08. The anvil Illl is formed on the lower smooth end of a shank I 0S tting in the bore of the sleeve |36 and having a threaded upper portion IIIl engaging in the threaded extremity of thebore ofthe sleeve lo@ and equipped with a'lock nut l i i4 to hold the adjustment. The lower extremity of the sleeve Mid is beveled, as shown at H2, so that it may ride intoengagement with the upper end of the shell E62 and pinch the same into an annular groove in the bullet so that thev bullet will be firmly secured in the end of the shell.r `As the die block moves upwardly, the' filled shell with the bullet therein will be left upon'the slide 5 at the end of the slide and the next movement of the slide will carry the shell to the end of the keeper plates 6 and 'l where it will be released and may be removed by hand or otherwise disposed of.

' The keeper plates 6 and l are provided-with notches or recesses H3 in their inner opposed edges at stated intervals in thev length thereof and the purpose `of these notches will now appear.

. p As has been heretofore stated, when starting opto ris-e and' the lever 24 will be rocked to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. l, thereby moving the slide with the shell thereon to a position below the first die whereupon the spring l@ will move the keeper bar 'l outwardly or forwardly so that the first recess E I3 therein will engage the shell and the shell will be held by and between said recess and the corresponding recess in the front keeper plate 6. When the slide was moved to feed the shell, as stated, the several dogs I4 thereon, of course, moved with them. When the upward movement of the die blo-ck releases the latch 25 Vfrom the lever 24, the spring 28 at once returns the'lever to the position shown in full lines in Fig. land retracts the slide, the first dog H then riding under the shell so as to assume the position shown in Fig. 1 immediately lat the side of the shell. yUpon the next downward movementor the diebiock, the ejeeung pin t2 will eject the primer of the shell and the primer will fall through the openings i6 and il, as has been eX- plained. Upon this second downward movement of the die block, thelatch 25 will again ride into engagement with the lever 2G so that upon the return upward movement of the die block, the lever will be rocked and the shell from which the `primer has just been ejected will be moved by the dog ld with the slide into position between the second notches H3, and simultaneously with this movement asecond shell will be brought by the rib i3 to the position just vacated by the rst shell. Upon return movement of the slide, the dogs will ride under the respective shells and assume positions at the sides of the same and on the next downward movement the ejector pin 52 'will eject the primer from the Second shell and the first shell will receive a new primer and a charge of powder willV be delivered thereinto by the action of the powder-measuring disc B3, as

k has been'explained. Upon the third'downward movement of the die block, the shells previously brought into position will be each moved forward 'position to receive a yprimer and a charge of powder, whilej'athird shell will be brought below the ejector pin. The bullet is inserted by the operator in the end of the sleeve |06 and the extent to which it may be inserted is determined by properly adjusting the anvil lill, so that, after three shells have been fed to the working positions, at each operation one shell will be deprived of its old primer, another shell will receive a new primer and a charge of powder, and a third shell will receive a bullet, these operations being performed simultaneously and automatically except for the placing of a bullet in position to enter the end of a shell. The descent of the y"die block and the dies carried thereby will, of

course, be due to pressure upon the treadle 31 and the engagement of the trip lever 4l over said treadle will hold the parts in the lowered position until the operator has had time to remove the completely reloaded shell and obtain a bullet to be inserted at the neXt operation. Upon release of the trip lever 4l, the working parts will Vbe automatically returned to initial positions.

When the primer magazine is to be` loaded, the follower 6l is moved down to the lower ends of the slots 59 and then turned to engage the fingers 62 in the notches B whereby to hold the follower in the lowered position. After the loaded magazine is secured in position on the bed plate, the ngers are disengaged from the notches whereupon the device will operate in the described manner.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a very compact mechanism whereby fired shells may be readily and efficiently reloaded and made fit for further use.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a shell-reloading machine, the combination of a magazine for holding shells, a seri-es of dies, a cross head carrying said dies and shiftable vertically, a slide to reciprocate horizontally under the magazine and dies and having members arranged to engage and feed shells singly from the magazine and progressively move the shells to positions below the dies, means actuated from the cross head for reciprocating said slide, keeper plates arranged at sides of the slide and one being shiftable toward and away from the slide, said plates serving to guide sliding movement of the slide and being provided in their confronting edges with recesses adapted to receive portions of the successive shells and arrest their movement at points below the dies, and means cooperating with the dies to supply primers to the shells successively.

2. In a shell-reloading machine, the combination of a bed plate having a series of openings therein, a primer magazine secured to and depending frorn the bed plate between the openings, a primer injector mounted below the bed plate in alinement with one of the openings, a series of dies mounted above the bed plate and movable toward and from the bed plate, a slide movable over the bed plate across the openings therein, dogs mounted on the slide to feed shells step by step under the several dies as the slide is moved in one direction and to ride under the shells as the slide moves in the opposite direction, the slide being provided with openings adapted in a position o-f rest to register with the openings in the bed plate and provided between said openings with a recess adapted to register with the primer magazine when the slide is at rest, means for closing one opening in the slide as the slide carries Said opening across the primer magazine, means for operating the slide in timed relation to the dies, and means for operating the primer injector in timed relation to the operation of the dies.

3. In a shell-reloading machine, the combination of a die block, a powder-measuring and discharging element mounted on said die block, a primer injector arranged below and in alinement with the die measuring and discharging element, a vertically adjustable rod for raising and lowering the die block, a lever for operating the primer injector, means carried by said rod for actuating the lever during reciprocation of the rod and imparting movement to the primer ejector in timed relation to the die block, and means for feeding a shell into position between the measuring and discharging element and the primer injector,

4. In a shell-reloading machine, a base, a die block over the base, a rod for raising and lowering the block, a powder-measuring and discharging device mounted on the block, a primer injector mounted below and in alinement with the powder measuring and discharging device, a primer magazine arranged at one side of the injector, means for feeding a shell into position between the powder measuring and discharging device and the injector and transferring a primer from the primer magazine to a position over the injector, a bracket depending from the base, a lever carried by said bracket for actuating the ejector, and a dog carried by the rod and yieldably held in position for engaging and actuating the lever during movement of the rod.

5. In a shell-reloading machine, the combination of a bed plate, a slide mounted to move upon the bed plate, a magazine to deliver shells onto the slide, a rib on the slide to extend across the end of the magazine and retain the shells therein in one position of the slide and in another position of the slide to release the shells, means at the sides of the slide to retain shells thereon, a die block, means for moving the die block toward and from the slide, a latch mounted at one end of the die block, a lever mounted upon the bed plate with one encl in engagement with the slide and its opposite end disposed in the path of the latch whereby upon downward movement of the die block the latch will engage under the lever and upon upward movement of the die block will rock the lever to move the slide, and a retractile spring acting upon the lever to return the same and the slide to initial position when the latch clears the lever.

6. In a shell-reloading machine, the combination of a bed plate, a plurality of dies mounted above the bed plate, means for raising and lowering the dies, a slide mounted upon the bed plate, means for moving the slide in timed relation to the dies, the slide having openings therethrough adapted when at rest to aline with the iirst and second dies, and a bed plate having an opening therethrough to register with the first die, a primer magazine depending from the bed plate at one side of the opening therein, a primer injector mounted on and depending from the bed plate at one side of the magazine, a flap valve pivoted to the slide and adapted to close the rst opening therein as the slide moves over the bed plate whereby to prevent injection of a primer from the primer magazine, and means for moving the primer injector in timed relation to the dies.

'7. In a shell-reloading machine, a series of dies, a rod for raising and lowering the dies, a primer injector arranged adjacent said rod, yieldable means holding the injector normally lowered, a lever mounted between the injector and said rod and bearing upwardly against the lower end of the injector, a dog on the rod enga-ging the lever whereby upon initial downward movement of the rod the lever will be rocked and the injector raised, and means for releasing the dog as the rod moves downwardly.

HARRY E. NEWCOMB. 

